Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins is entering his second season with the team and along with that come higher expectations. 'I think a year under his belt here in Minnesota and his familiarity with everything is going to bode well,' Vikings co-owner Mark Wilf said in the Minneapolis Star Tribune on Sunday, May 19. 'He's doing great. We expect a lot out of him as well as our whole team.'

Footballguys view: The Vikings were in the NFC Championship Game with Case Keenum at quarterback two years ago. Last year, with Cousins, they failed to make the postseason. After giving Cousins the first fully-guaranteed contract in the NFL, the Vikings are looking for championships...not staying at home in January. No quarterback is under more pressure to perform in 2019 than Cousins. He's got a current ADP of QB19 (12.04) in 12-team PPR leagues.

Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins called the 2018 season a disappointment and plans to 'make amends' next year.

Footballguys view: The Vikings played in the NFC Championship after the 2017 season...with Case Keenum as their quarterback. They signed Cousins to the first fully guaranteed contract in NFL history, then failed to make the playoffs. This last season was an incredible disappointment, especially given Cousins contract and the hype surrounding his signing.

Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins has the backing of head coach Mike Zimmer who spoke at a news conference Thursday, Jan. 3. 'I have a lot of confidence in Kirk Cousins,' said Zimmer, who predicted the quarterback will play well next year.

Footballguys view: Cousins was a 4,000-yard passer for the fourth year in a row in 2018, and he finished the season with 30 touchdowns to only 10 interceptions. The Vikings didn't make the playoffs after making it all the way to the NFC Championship Game last year with Case Keenum as their starter. Cousins has two years remaining on his fully guaranteed deal with the pressure increasing to pay off with a championship run.

Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins completed 21-of-28 passes for 253 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in Week 16 against the Detroit Lions.

Footballguys view: Cousins' numbers were inflated by a hail mary catch by Kyle Rudolph. He is going to be a lower volume passer in this version of the Vikings offense and won't be a QB1 against the Bears next week.

Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins completed 20-of-33 passes for 208 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions in the Week 14 game against the Seattle Seahawks on Monday, Dec. 10, and he also lost a fumble.

Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins completed 18-of-22 passes for 164 yards, one touchdown and one interception in the Week 9 win against the Detroit Lions.

Footballguys view: Cousins didn't have to exert himself much as the Vikings defense held the Lions without a touchdown and scored one of their own. It was a dud for Cousins heading into the bye, but he's still a QB1 for the stretch run.

Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins went 24-for-34 for 233 yards, one touchdown and one interception against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6. He also rushed for 14 yards and one touchdown on four carries during the game.

Footballguys view: Cousins didn't have a big game with Stefon Diggs blotted out by Patrick Peterson, but his rushing touchdown helped keep him in the range of solid scores in the easy win for his team. He remains a strong QB1 heading into a matchup with the Jets.

Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins was pressured on 43.9 percent of his drop-backs in Week 5 against the Philadelphia Eagles, yet he finished 13-of-16 for 179 yards and a touchdown and posted a 134.1 passer rating in those situations, according to Pro Football Focus.

Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins completed 36 of his 50 passes for 422 yards and three touchdowns and rushed four times for 28 yards in a 38-31 loss to the Los Angeles Rams Thursday, Sept. 27.

Footballguys view: Cousins was hyperaccurate and stood tough against a scary Rams defensive line. He bounced back from a terrible game against the Bills and his production wasn't affected by a subpar offensive line and running game. He's a strong QB1 going forward with a tough road game against the Eagles up next.

Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins completed 40-of-55 passes for 296 yards, one touchdown and one interception in Week 3 against the Buffalo Bills, but he also lost two fumbles and was sacked four times.

Footballguys view: Cousins was overwhelmed by the Bills pass rush early, and didn't do enough later to make a gameout of this. He'll face the Rams on Thursday night and probably is not a good play with his offensive line ailing and the team generating little momentum on offense.

Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins completed 35-of-48 passes for 425 yards, four touchdowns and one interception in the Week 2 tie on the road against the Green Bay Packers.

Footballguys view: Cousins had an interception that could have ended the game in regulation, but it was called back by a questionable roughing the passer penalty. He is clearly on the same page as his top two receivers and should deliver expected value. He might be a top five play against the Bills next week.

The New York Jets were one of four finalists for Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins and made multiple offers to him. New York Daily News reporter Manesh Mehta said Cousins weighed his decisions heavily and left the Jets on the board until Tuesday, March 13.

Footballguys view: The Jets wanted to break the bank for Cousins and they tried...but they fell short in one important category. They're not close and Cousins wanted to go to a contender. Signing with the Vikings, Cousins could and should make a deep postseason run in 2018.

Updating a previous report, Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins has $6 million in incentives, $2 million per year, tied to his three-year, $84 million deal. Those incentives are triggered by play time, team points scored and Super Bowl wins. To hit the highest level in any year, Cousins has to be Super Bowl MVP.

Updating a previous report, free-agent QB Kirk Cousins (Redskins) officially signed a three-year, $84 million deal with the Minnesota Vikings Thursday, March 15.

Footballguys view: Cousins has been a pioneer in the 'getting paid' business. He was franchise-tagged twice by Washington and now gets a fully guaranteed, three-year deal. Now, the Vikings just hope he's good at the 'winning championships' business. After a 13-3 season that ended in the NFC Championship Game, Cousins will have plenty of pressure to get to the Super Bowl from the moment the regular season starts.

Footballguys view: Cousins is a pioneer when it comes to contract negotiations. With $86 million fully guaranteed, it means Cousins has made roughly $120 million in guaranteed money over a five-year span. Now, he's got to win. The pressure in Minnesota will be tremendous as they were 13-3 last year and lost in the NFC Championship to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Footballguys view: That's cool and everything, but Cousins reportedly wants to go to a contender...something Arizona is a long way from being. Oh yeah, there's the money too. Cousins is likely to get a contract that pays him around $30 million annually and the Cardinals currently have $19.6 million in cap space per OverTheCap.com. They may still be in the running, but they are bringing up the rear behind teams like the Vikings, Broncos and Jets.

Arizona Cardinals RB David Johnson sent out a tweet Friday, March 9, asking Washington Redskins impending free-agent QB Kirk Cousins to join him in Arizona.

Footballguys view: Cousins wants to play for a contender...so Johnson has his work cut out for him. The Cardinals only have $19 million in cap space at this time, so they'd have some work to do to simply afford Cousins and his likely $30 million per year contract.

Washington Redskins impending free-agent QB Kirk Cousins could be on the verge of going to the Minnesota Vikings, as the 'belief' around the league is that it is a 'done deal' between the two sides, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com.

Footballguys view: While we have to wait until pen actually hits paper before truly calling this a done deal, it certainly seems like things are hurtling towards a cousins - Vikings marriage. That could make things very interesting for teams like Denver, the Jets, and Cleveland all of whom were thought to be dead set on Kirk Cousins this year.

Washington Redskins impending free-agent QB Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings have a mutual interest in each other, but no offers and no decisions have been made yet and financial details will be a big factor, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

Footballguys view: This is a different direction than the report earlier of a 3-year, $91 million deal, fully guaranteed. The dance goes on. It really feels like this is between the Vikings (best winning situation) and the New York Jets (most money) though the Broncos aren't totally out. This domino will tumble swiftly at the start of free agency though.

Footballguys view: But we thought you couldn't negotiate yet? Oh, right, legal-illegal tampering time is upon us. Players like longer contracts but this could allow Cousins a chance to get yet another contract if he plays well. That and the fully guaranteed aspect of it make this a fairly attractive offer.

Washington Redskins impending free-agent QB Kirk Cousins remains a strong blip on the Denver Broncos' radar despite reports to the contrary, according to 9news.com's Mike Klis. Klis added that no prospective team has had any visits or talked financials with Cousins yet.

Footballguys view: The Broncos are still going to make a run at Cousins. They may not be the front runners as the Vikings seem to be his likely destination. If the Broncos can't get Cousins, they will likely move on to a guy like Case Keenum.

The New York Jets plan to bid on free-agent QB Kirk Cousins (Redskins), but they are worried about losing out in the pursuit to the Minnesota Vikings. The team feels they can outbid the Vikings and offer a better contract structure, according to a team source, but the organization still feels Cousins might go to Minnesota for what he'll believe is a better chance to immediately win.

Footballguys view: Cousins wants to go to a contender...and that is clearly not the Jets. The Vikings are leading the way in the Cousins sweepstakes with perhaps the Broncos able to lure him away. The Jets had better make other plans, including but not limited to adding a quarterback with the no6 overall pick.

Washington Redskins impending free-agent QB Kirk Cousins is expected to be pursued the Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals during free agency, and they likely will be the finalists for Cousins, according to sources.

Footballguys view: The Broncos and Vikings appear to be the most likely destinations and the loser in the Cousins sweepstakes will take a long look at the Vikings quarterbacks from last year and AJ McCarron as a starter for 2018.

Washington Redskins impending free-agent QB Kirk Cousins has become an 'all-in' target for the Denver Broncos when free agency kicks off on Wednesday, March 14, according to two sources familiar with the club's free agency plans. Additionally, those sources mentioned that the Broncos have 'examined scenarios' to potentially open up between $40 million and $50 million in cap space for this offseason.

Footballguys view: The Broncos are going to be one of the most aggressive teams when it comes to landing Cousins. They may not be as close as the Vikings or have as much money to spend as the Jets, but Denver has done this before. They were able to lure Peyton Manning to the Mile High City in free agency and it gave them instant success. Cousins is not Manning, but he's a potential franchise quarterback available in free agency during his prime.

Redskins | Kirk Cousins to take his time in free agency Tue Feb 27, 12:13 PM

Washington Redskins impending free-agent QB Kirk Cousins is not expected to agree to terms during the two-day negotiating period prior to the official start of free agency on March 14 in order to take one or more visits, according to a source.

Footballguys view: Cousins will want to hear all of the pitches and potentially play suitors off of each other to increase his price, and also compare the proposals and promises. Minnesota and Denver remain the most likely teams for Cousins this season.

The Minnesota Vikings are 'going to be players' for Washington Redskins impending free-agent QB Kirk Cousins, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.

Footballguys view: If Cousins values a chance at a championship more than maxing out his deal, the Vikings are the answer. They have the best surrounding cast on offense, including John DeFillipo at offensive coordinator and Kevin Stefanski at quarterback coach.

Footballguys view: At this time, the Broncos could be considered a favorite to land Cousins. That is...unless the Vikings get into the mix. Siemian is likely to be traded away and Paxton Lynch is a bust. The Broncos have missed the playoffs each of the last two years after winning Super Bowl 50. Adding Cousins is the first of multiple moves they must do to get back in the hunt.

Washington Redskins impending free-agent QB Kirk Cousins was never 'truly' an option for the Arizona Cardinals because of the expected price tag, according to Mike Jurecki of 98.7 Arizona, and Jurecki expects the Cardinals to add a veteran quarterback in free agency and select one in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Footballguys view: The Cardinals don't want to get into the frenzy. Cousins is expected to command a deal that pays him nearly $30 million per year. Arizona doesn't have a quarterback at this time, but they want no part of that huge financial commitment. The Cardinals have the no15 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft. They'll have to move up for a quarterback they want as the top four (Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield) may be gone by that time.

Washington Redskins impending free-agent QB Kirk Cousins went 4-19 as the Redskins' starting quarterback against teams that finished their seasons with a winning record.

Footballguys view: That's not a great sign...especially when some team is likely to pay Cousins nearly $30 million per year to be their quarterback. Supporters will argue the talent around him, while detractors will say that Cousins doesn't win. The truth is set to come about when Cousins gets a new team this offseason.

Jets | Kirk Cousins could see $60 million in first year Tue Feb 20, 10:00 AM

Updating previous reports, Washington Redskins impending free-agent QB Kirk Cousins could receive an offer from the New York Jets that would give him $60 million guaranteed in the first year of the contract, according to a league source.

Footballguys view: The Jets are reportedly willing to do whatever it takes to land Cousins. They can front load his deal and still have plenty of room to make other improvements elsewhere.

Washington Redskins impending free-agent QB Kirk Cousins could theoretically be franchise tagged by the Redskins, but if that were to occur then Cousins would not entertain a long-term deal with his new team and he would make a whopping $34 million under the tag. If Cousins did not immediately sign the tag, he could not be traded anyway. Furthermore, the Redskins would not be able to do much else in free agency and also just traded for Kansas City Chiefs QB Alex Smith.

Footballguys view: Washington wants to get something for Cousins before they lose him in free agency. Tagging him for a third time goes against the spirit of the rule, and there have been reports that Cousins would file a grievance if Washington went that route.

Washington Redskins impending free-agent QB Kirk Cousins will have heavy pursuit from the New York Jets, who are prepared to pay 'whatever it takes' to land him, according to sources.

Footballguys view: The Jets could use a franchise quarterback and Cousins is arguably the best one available. Whether or not he's free and clear, or if Washington is going to tag him and ask for something via trade is unknown at this point. What is known is that Cousins is likely to get a deal greater than the $27.5 million annually that Jimmy Garoppolo just received from the 49ers.